Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life of U.S. Marine Corps First Sergeant David H. Quinn of Temple, NH. In 1941, First Sergeant Quinn enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He would train at Parris Island, SC, and Quantico, VA, before being assigned to a newly created amphibious tractor battalion based in Dunedin, FL, which was preparing for war in the Pacific Theater. His unit brought him to San Diego, where he was promoted to first sergeant, and eventually to New Zealand for further training in amphibious assaults. It was there that he met Zoe Boeson, who was working to become a nurse. David and Zoe were married on June 28, 1943, just 4 months before his unit shipped out. In 1943, with Company C, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion of the 2nd Marine Division, First Sergeant Quinn arrived on Betio in the Tarawa Atoll as part of Operation Galvanic. The island was critical to the U.S. island-hopping campaign and also to the Japanese, who used it as a base for attacking U.S. Forces in the Central Pacific. The marines successfully captured Betio, but 1,029 marines were killed and approximately 2,700 men wounded on what came to be known as bloody Tarawa. Among them was First Sergeant Quinn, who passed away on November 20, 1943. Though he and his new bride, Zoe, had spent just 4 months together prior to his death, she later remarked that they enjoyed more happiness in those 4 months than most people find in a lifetime.…”